Mr CALDER (Northern Territory) - I move:

The clause which my amendment seeks to insert differs from the original clause which proposed that a senator's term of service shall be tied to the House of Representatives time scale. To my way of thinking the clause as it stands highlights the fact that these representatives will be some other sort of representatives. They will be taking their place in the Senate but they will not be elected at Senate elections. I think that if the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory are to have senators representing them they should be died in the wool senators.

The Northern Territory hopes to move towards statehood. I know that the Minister for the Northern Territory (Mr Enderby), who is sitting in the chamber, has been quoted as saying that statehood for the Northern Territory would be a disaster. We think that the Government should be pursuing a course which is aimed at giving the Northern Territory greater autonomy as it moves towards statehood. This is the underlying thought behind the amendment. We believe that the Government, in introducing a different class of representative, is doing a disservice to something which I have supported and which the people of the Northern Territory would welcome, that is, further representation. I am sure that they would like to see these men treated the same way as State senators are treated. Therefore I urge that my amendment be considered and passed.